Philippians 3

No, I didn't forget to change the post. I just can't move off of this chapter. I told you it was a favorite. There's a lot more left to say. Like verse 1 says, "I never get tired of telling you these things."

OK, let's think more about the whole righteousness that comes by grace through faith. In verse 2-4 he clarifies up front that we're not talking about works-based, human effort sort of stuff here. Let me see if this picture helps at all.

Electricity is waiting right now in the wall socket to my left. There's enough power just sitting in reserve there to stop my heart. But, I am receiving no benefit from it. In order to tap into all that powerful goodness, I need a cord with a plug at the end. And, once I stick that into the socket, an almost unlimited amount of electricity will power whatever device that I have attached to that cord. I can use it to run a light bulb almost indefinitely. (They usually only burn out because of the flipping on an off, a quality bulb with a perfect vacuum inside can pretty much burn forever. There's today's FFTK&T.)

OK, now think of the electricity itself as God's saving power. His ability to defeat sin. I cannot do that on my own no matter what. I cannot generate electricity on my own.

When Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross, He provided the world with their own extension cord. Each of us has that life line sitting there at our disposal. It is up to us to accept it and plug it in.

But that's where a lot of people stop. They accept the free hook-up from God but don't then choose to turn on the light and allow the power to shine through us. Our faith stops short at the whole righteousness thing.

Seriously. How often have you heard people talking about righteousness. Hardly ever? I don't. I don't hear anyone who's super psyched about the burning brilliance that can shine out of each of our lives when we invite God's power to begin to clean us up. When we talk about faith, it's about believing God FOR something. Not just believing God. Not just feeling the electricity flow through us and change us from the inside out.

So today's assignment is just to think about the power we can tap into. The grace that God has extended to us through Christ. The faith it will take to invite God to burn the hell out of us. And the pure bright white righteousness He has called us to.

BTW, FFTK&T=fun fact to know and tell. That's from back when I was in middle school. :)